The Shooting on an Innocent Hat
by MoulinP
Summary: This was a challenge from some time ago. The subject of how the hole came about in Heyes' hat came up recently on FB. Here's my take on it. it doesn't go any further.


Conviction (The shooting of an innocent hat)

"YOU SHOT MY HAT!" Heyes yelled after the three men who were riding off with the partner's horses and all their worldly possessions. He struggled furiously against the bindings that held his hands behind his back.

"Heyes," the Kid began.

"YOU WAIT UNTIL I CATCH UP WITH YOU! YOUR LIVES WON'T BE WORTH LIVING!" Pause for breath. "YOUR MOTHER'S LIVES WON'T BE WORTH LIVING!" Another pause. "IF YOU HAD MOTHER'S …," he descended into incomprehensible muttering.

The Kid rolled his eyes. "Heyes," he tried again.

"WHAT?" Heyes yelled at his partner. The Kid sat beside him in a similar state of restraint.

"They've gone now Heyes. They can't hear you."

"D'YOU THINK I CARE ABOUT THAT? THEY SHOT MY HAT! LOOK AT IT!"

Heyes gestured with his chin to where his black hat lay a few feet away. "WHAT DID IT EVER DO TO YOU?" he yelled again.

"Mebbe it offended their sense of _haute couture,"_ the Kid muttered, blinking at his unusual choice of words. _(It was as if somebody had told him to say that!)_

Then seeing Heyes was about to launch himself into another diatribe at the expense at the departed men, said, "Will you let it go?" He was irritable and uncomfortable. "We've got more important things to worry 'bout right now. Like getting UNTIED!"

"They shot my hat, Kid," Heyes said, more quietly and more petulantly.

"Get a grip!" The Kid waited until Heyes was breathing deeply but thankfully wordlessly. "They did a good job of tyin' me up. How are yours?"

Heyes growled, winced and squirmed at his binding. "Awh! It'll take me a while …"

The Kid sat patiently and watched Heyes shuffle, twist, grimace and mutter obscenities for ten minutes. Then with a loud grunt suddenly he was free and unwrapping the rawhide from his wrists. The Kid waited expectantly and then rolled his eyes, growling as Heyes got up and went immediately to pick up his hat.

"LOOK AT IT!" He gave it a brush. Then scrubbed furiously at a mark with his thumbnail. "They've ruined it. LOOK!" He poked his index finger through the hole in the front of the crown and shook the hat in the Kid's direction. "LOOK!"

The Kid coughed. "If you wouldn't mind, Heyes," he sighed, rolling his eyes again.

"D'YOU CALL THAT CIVILISED BEHAVIOUR! GOING AROUND SHOOTING HATS! INNOCENT HATS! NOBODY SHOOTS HANNIBAL HEYES' HAT!" Heyes blustered on in the direction the men had gone. "'CEPT HANNIBAL HEYES. D'YOU HEAR ME?"

"HEYES! THEY HEAR YA! Now would you mind?"

"WHAT?" Heyes turned round furiously and looked at his partner.

"Before you catch up with them. Or do anythin' to 'em, would you please untie me?" he asked reasonably.

Heyes growled, slapped the maimed hat on his head and walked back to the Kid. He crouched down and began to fiddle with the rawhide. He still muttered under his breath as he worked.

"We'll get after them, Heyes. They've got our money and guns. I ain't letting this lie. And when we do catch up with 'em you can shoot _their_ hats. Alright?" The Kid was trying to be calming. Appealing to the rational, logical, sensible side of Heyes. Unfortunately, that side seemed to be on a break right now.

"Too right, I will. And I'll make damm sure that their heads are still in 'em first!" Heyes succeeded in untying the Kid. "There you go." He rose to his feet as the Kid finished unwrapping the rawhide.

"Thanks," grumbled the Kid as Heyes inspected his hat once more. "Look on the bright side Heyes. You're always complaining about how hot that hat is." He grinned. "Now you've got some ventilation!"

The look Heyes gave him would have curdled a lessor man's blood. "I do NOT complain about it!" He clamped it on his head once more and stood hands on hips, chin thrust out in the Kid's direction.

"You don't wear it half the time. You wear that bandana wrapped round your head like a dang indian."

"I can't help it if I haven't got prissy curls that stay put can I? It keeps my hair outta my eyes so I can see where I'm riding." A finger emphasised the point.

The Kid decided to press on despite Heyes chewing his bottom lip furiously. "And when we're riding fast you complain that it doesn't stay on your head but flips off behind ya and nearly strangles ya!" I say it's a darn good thing it got shot. Now you can buy a new hat and stop complaining 'bout it!"

"THE HELL I AM!" Heyes snatched it from his head. "I like this hat. I like the colour. I like the decoration. I like the feel of it. It feels right BECAUSE IT'S MINE! I like EVERYTHING about it EXCEPT for the dang hole where it got SHOT!" He slapped it back on his head and folded his arms as the Kid got to his feet. He advanced on Heyes dangerously slowly. Heyes to his credit held his ground.

"Well perhaps …" The legendary trigger finger poked at Heyes' shoulder. "You could sew it up." Now the finger emphasised every word. "Like. You. Did. My. Derby!"

Heyes swallowed hard. He rubbed his shoulder wincing where the hard finger had poked him. Suddenly his head slumped forward and he sighed.

"How did they get the drop on us, Kid? Are we losing our touch?" He stood hands on hips, shaking his head in frustration.

"Nobody's perfect Heyes. An' I'm sorry I was dozing. I shoulda been more awake an' alert," the Kid replied, contritely.

"Nah! Kid, it's not your fault. We're both slipping up and folks are taking advantage," Heyes sighed. "Those …," He threw a hand up in the direction the bushwhackers had taken. "Those men didn't know who we were. If they had, we'd be on our horses heading back to town. They were just opportunists and we were an opportunity not to be missed." He kicked at a stone, sending it skidding off into the distance.

The Kid slumped back against a boulder. "Yeah," he sighed, thinking. "Y'know Heyes, I hate to admit this but you're right. We have been slipping up a lot lately. Powers, the Tapscotts …" He shook his head in despair. "It's jus' not like us. What's wrong with us Heyes?"

Heyes was far away, staring at a spot on the ground a few feet in front of him. He stared at it for several long minutes, the Kid was equally as thoughtful.

"It isn't us, Kid," Heyes sighed, finally. "It's our situation. I think being on the move all the time, not knowing if we're ever gonna get this dang amnesty is getting to us."

"So what do we do?"

"Something."

"What exactly?"

"Dunno yet but I'll give it some thought as we walk back inta town." He started to walk away.

"Oh great! Walking. My favourite occupation!"

Heyes looked back and shrugged. "Nothing else for it Kid."

"I know," the Kid muttered as he started after his partner. "Jus' wish somebody would let me know if I'm gonna be walkin' so I can put some better boots on!"

"Aw, come on Kid," Heyes said, looking back. "What are you complaining about? At least your hat didn't get shot and wounded." He ran a few feet to get ahead.

The Kid gave his back the look as he reluctantly trudged after him.


End file.
